The present invention relates generally to an ice scraper and, more particularly, is directed to a combination ice scraper and mitt.
Hand held plastic scrapers for scraping ice and snow from the windshield of an automotive vehicle are well known. Generally, such scrapers are formed with a widened forward end having a beveled edge used for scraping, and an opposite, reduced width end which constitutes a handle for grasping the scraper. In use, the user grasps the handle and scrapes the ice and snow from the windshield with the beveled edge.
If the user does not wear any glove or mitt on the scraping hand, however, this hand becomes exposed to the cold air, snow and ice, resulting in discomfort during use. Even when a glove or mitt is used, the glove or mitt often becomes wet with use of the scraper, by reason of the snow and ice, again resulting in discomfort to the user.
In order to overcome such disadvantages, it has been proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,116,502 to provide a combination scraper with hand protecting means. Specifically, two elongate plate members of a rigid plastic material are secured together in face-to-face relation, one plate member having a tapered scraping edge at one end and the other plate member having a squeegee member at one end. At the opposite ends, the plate members open to form a hollow formation which houses a mitt that substantially conforms to the interior configuration of the hollow formation. The hollow formation thereby protects the hand and the mitt therein against snow and ice.
Because of difficulties in grasping the scraper of the aforementioned U.S. patent, and because of difficulties in washing, repair and/or removal of the mitt from the hollow formation, a combination scraper and mitt of a simpler construction has been proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,538,320. The scraper of this U.S. patent is formed from two telescoping plastic parts. A first part of a tapering configuration has a narrow end and an opposite, wider end with a beveled edge which constitutes a scraper blade. The other, second part is also of a tapering configuration and defines a handgrip at one end and has an opening at the opposite end for telescopically receiving the narrow end of the first part.
The mitt is positioned about the scraper and is secured in position thereon so as to leave the scraper blade exposed. Specifically, the mitt contains a slit at one end for receiving the first part. The dimensions of the slit are smaller than those of the open end of the second part. Accordingly, when the mitt is placed over the second part, the shoulder at the open end thereof is in engagement with the closed end of the mitt so that, when the first part of the scraper is thrust through the slit into the opening in the second part, the taper of the second part forces the material marginally of the slit into engagement with the shoulder, thus anchoring the mitt to the assembled parts of the scraper.
In an alternative embodiment, the first part is provided on its opposite faces with circular recesses and the second part is provided with buttons for interengagement with the recesses. During assembly, the material of the mitt, marginally of the slit, is folded inwardly into the open end of the second part and anchored between the recesses and buttons.
The advantage of this device is that the scraper can be readily removed from the mitt by disengaging the first part from the second part. However, because of this two-piece formation, the construction is relatively complicated for a simple device of a scraper. Also, the cost of the device, and the assembly thereof, is greatly increased. There is also the possibility that, during use, the first and second parts may become disengaged from each other, particularly when scraping very hard ice from a windshield, thereby requiring the user to remove the mitt and expose his hands to cold weather to reattach the parts. This is particularly the case in the alternative embodiment in which the material of the mitt trapped between the buttons and recesses has a tendency to normally bias the buttons outwardly, as shown in FIG. 7 of the U.S. patent.
It is also known to provide gloves or mittens having an opening therein which may be closed by means of "Velcro" covered flap portions, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,299,441; 4,383,336; and 4,543,671. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,368,811; 3,508,280; 3,885,249; and 4,414,692 relate to gloves having "Velcro" strips over the outer surfaces thereof adapted to mate with "Velcro" covered objects to produce a gripping arrangement. For other "Velcro" securements, see, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,128;514; 3,370,818; and 3,387,341.